PSL 2026: Islamabad seal playoffs spot with commanding 8-wicket win over Hyderabad

Islamabad United sealed their spot in the playoffs of the Pakistan Super League 2026 (PSL 2026), with a commanding eight-wicket win over Hyderabad Kingsmen on Friday, April 24, at National Stadium, Karachi.

After Islamabad captain Shadab Khan invited Hyderabad to bat first, they were blown away by Richard Gleeson, Imad Wasim (3/21, 3.5 overs) and Shadab (3/13, 3 overs), who each scalped three wickets to bundle them for 80 in 15.5 overs.

In reply, Islamabad hardly broke a sweat, chasing down the low target as Mohsin Riaz’s fireworks got them over the line in just 6.4 overs.  Earlier in the day, Hyderabad were rocked early as Richard Gleeson ran through their top order, dismissing Maaz Sadaqat (0 off 1), Marnus Labuschagne (5 off 5) and Saim Ayub (12 off 12) cheaply, to leave their team reeling at 24/3 in 4.4 overs.

After Gleeson’s opening burst, Shadab and Imad Wasim further piled on the misery in the middle overs as wickets continued to tumble. Even the experienced heads of Glenn Maxwell (1 off 5) and Kusal Perera (12 off 10) couldn’t do anything to save their team as Hyderabad were skittled for an ignominious total of 80.

In the second innings, Hyderabad also struck early as Mohammad Ali (2/29) removed Devon Conway for a two-ball duck (0 off 2). However, Mohsin Riaz and Sameer Minhas (27* off 20) crushed whatever hopes Hyderabad had, with their massive 79-run stand off 37 balls for the second wicket.

Meanwhile, following their win, Islamabad became the third team to qualify for the playoffs, being in third position in the PSL 2026 points table with 11 points from nine games. On the other hand, Hyderabad slipped to fifth spot with eight points from nine matches. 

Top run-scorer of the Match

Top wicket-taker of the Match

Player of the Match

Richard Gleeson was adjudged Player of the Match for his terrific opening spell, which broke the back of Hyderabad's batting lineup. He dismissed Maaz Sadaqat (0 off 1), Marnus Labuschagne (5 off 5) and Saim Ayub (12 off 12) in his first three overs to give an early blow to Hyderabad.

Turning Point

Richard Gleeson's opening spell eventually became the turning point of the match as Hyderabad could never really recover from the early blows and continued to lose wickets to get bundled out for a paltry score.

What did the captains say:

Winning Captain, Shadab Khan (Islamabad United):

This is the kind of win we needed, and it’s come at the right time to build momentum in the tournament. After losing the previous match, it was important for us to bounce back and fix the things that went wrong. Richard’s spell in the powerplay was outstanding - taking three wickets early makes a huge difference. Our spinners also complemented the effort really well, and personally, I was happy to contribute with three wickets too. Experience plays a big role in these situations; players who’ve played leagues around the world bring great energy and composure, which makes things easier for me as a captain on the field. That catch was a bit tricky with the lights, but thankfully it stuck, and now the goal is to carry this momentum forward.

Losing Captain, Marnus Labuschagne (Hyderabad Kingsmen):

We are still smiling, but honestly, it wasn’t the performance we were hoping for. We know how to win big, and clearly, we know how to lose big as well, so it is what it is. The important thing now is to park this game because our season is still alive going into the last match, and that’s where our focus is. I think it was a combination of factors tonight - they bowled in the right areas and got the ball to swing, and we tried to take the powerplay on, which has worked for us before but didn’t come off today. Once we were on the back foot, we just couldn’t recover or build towards even a 120 or 130 total.